The following joint statement from the American Red Cross and AFSCME Local 3145 was issued Feb. 21. You can scroll down for the official letter as it's being shared with all ARC employees in CT.

February 21, 2020

To:         Connecticut Red Cross Employees

From:   Trish Sablitz, RDSE American Red Cross
              Joseph Tine IV, AFSCME Local 3145 President
              Wendy Pilkington, AFSCME Local 3145 Executive Vice President

Re: CT Legislative Activity and Business Update

As representatives of the Union and Management at the Red Cross, we felt it was important to provide
the following information and to clarify any current misconceptions regarding blood collections in
Connecticut.

Is it true that Rhode Island Blood is coming into CT?
Rhode Island Blood Center (a subsidiary of NY Blood Center) has held several blood drives in Connecticut to date. It is apparent that they want to compete for our sponsors, donors and customers. We are taking action to combat their efforts and will be rolling out plans in the near future geared to defend against their attempts to take our business in Connecticut.

There is a rumor about layoffs. Will there be layoffs?
There are no current plans for layoffs in the American Red Cross Connecticut Blood Services Region. In fact, the Red Cross is continuously looking for quality employees to support collection, processing and lab services, and support our mission. We take the RI blood activity seriously, and the Union and Management will continue to partner to address this and other threats to our business. We are all part of the Red Cross family and want to protect our mission and our livelihoods.

Is there legislative action taking place to protect Connecticut blood services?
The actions of Rhode Island Blood Center have brought attention to the importance of ensuring the highest standards for collections, blood banking, IRL, and in-state oversight of the blood supply. AFSCME Local 3145, Council 4 and the Red Cross have partnered in sponsoring legislation specifically intended to protect the Connecticut blood supply and the valuable jobs you perform. Our lobbyists are jointly presenting legislative proposals in our common interest.

What are the next steps?
Please stay tuned for updates as the Union and Management continue our efforts.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to bring them to Trish Sablitz, Joseph Tine IV or Wendy Pilkington.

Thank you.